Privacy and Security Policy

The Texas Bullion Depository (TxBD) values and protects the public's privacy and places strict controls on the gathering and use of sensitive information and confidential information. Sensitive information and confidential information is not disclosed, made available, or otherwise used for purposes other than those specified at the time of collection, except with your consent or as authorized by law or regulation.

Collection of Information

The voluntary disclosure of sensitive information or confidential information to TxBD, whether solicited or unsolicited, constitutes your consent to the collection and disclosure of the information by TxBD for the purposes for which the information was disclosed to TxBD, as was reasonably ascertainable from the nature and terms of the disclosure, including collection and disclosure for the purpose of validating your identity.

Web Analytics Data

TXBD's websites collect and store information each time you access them to enable us to measure the total number of visitors, and certain non-personal statistical information. This helps us make our websites more accessible and useful to visitors.

If you browse through our sites reading, printing, or downloading information, no sensitive information and no confidential information about you is collected.

The information we collect when you visit TxBD's sites consists of:

The Internet Protocol (IP) address from which you are accessing the site(s)

The domain name of the Internet Service Provider (ISP) you are using to access the site(s) (e.g. Comcast.net or TimeWarnerCable.com)

The date and time you visited the site(s)

The web pages or services you accessed at the site(s)

TxBD uses Google Analytics to measure traffic on our websites. Review the Google Analytics Terms of Use or learn more about how Google uses, collects, and processes analytics data. To prevent Google Analytics from recognizing return visits to our websites you may disable cookies in your Web browser.

Some of TxBD's sites may also use JavaScript to collect site traffic and activity, as well as to measure the performance of our servers and network. These scripts do not collect sensitive information or confidential information about you.

Cookies

To better serve you, TxBD's sites may use cookies to enhance or customize your visit to the site. Cookies do not contain your sensitive information or confidential information.

Encryption

TXBD's websites have reasonable security measures in place to protect against the loss, misuse, and alteration of your data and information that is under our control. Interactive applications and forms that collect transaction payments, sensitive or confidential information are encrypted using privacy and security safeguards such as a Secure Socket Layer (SSL) session or similar technology.

Appropriate computer, network, and Internet technical security controls at the employee and departmental level prevent unauthorized access to information voluntarily provided by you. Some of these security controls are: password and user identification verification, data encryption, confidential transmissions, secure storage areas, and audit trails. TxBD's employees are educated regarding the requirements of working with sensitive and confidential information as well as the consequences of misuse.

Email

If you communicate with TxBD by sending an email, your email address may be retained for further communication with you in connection with processing your request or as provided by law. Do not send any sensitive or confidential information in the body of, or as an attachment to, an electronic mail message unless the data is adequately encrypted. Data sent via email is not inherently secured or encrypted. Any information contained in an email message or attachment may be retained and stored by TxBD pursuant to the applicable retention period or as provided by law and may be provided to other state agencies to better serve your needs.

In addition, TxBD collects the email addresses of those individuals who voluntarily provide their email address.

Further, email addresses and other volunteered information may be used to send news, notices, and other information to those who request it on a strictly opt-in basis.

Social Media

In the spirit of open, transparent government, TxBD makes use of social media tools (e.g. Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, etc.) to keep the public informed of news, economic updates, and other announcements.

Any comments or posts made to a social media forum maintained by TxBD may be subject to release to the public as required by the Texas Public Information Act.

Users of these social media services are bound by terms of service and user agreements for the platform.

Disclosure of Information

TXBD gathers your information through lawful means. Any subsequent use of the information is limited to purposes consistent with the purpose(s) given at the time of collection. Texas law states that some information submitted or accessed by you may be subject to public disclosure under the Texas Public Information Act. However, there are limitations that protect your sensitive personal information (SPI)from inclusion with public records.

You are responsible for protecting the confidentiality of any user ID, password, or PIN used to access TxBD websites. If you give your user ID, password, or PIN to anyone else, they will be able to access your sensitive and confidential information.

TxBD does not sell or distribute your information to any non-governmental third party without your consent or as authorized by law or regulation. TxBD's employees will only use sensitive and confidential information submitted by you on a need-to-know basis to provide information or services, or carry out the duties of the office.

Request for Your Information

With few exceptions, you have the right to request, receive, and review your information with TxBD. You are also entitled to have us correct any information about you in our possession that may be incorrect.